Breech loading oednance



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

V. O. TASKER.

BREEGH LOADING ORDNANCE.

No. 599,482. Patented Feb; 22,1898.

A 77' OHN E Y5.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-SheeflZ.

-V. 0'. TASKER. BREEGH LOADING ORDNA-NGE.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

V. G. TASKER. BREBGH LOADING ORDNANGB.

No. 599,482. Patented Feb. 22, 189-8.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VERNON C. TASKER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,482, dated. February 22, 1898.

Application filed November 17,1897. Serial No. 658,827. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VERNON O. TASKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Breech-Loading Ordnance; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention consists of a breech mechanism for use on guns having what is known as the slotted-screw system of breech-closure, and is of that particular class in which the breech-block after being disengaged bya partial rotation from the threads of the breech is adapted to immediately swing clear thereof about a hinge on the gun without being previously retracted in a straight line.

I shall here describe my invention in the best form known to me at present and as applied to a gun of small caliber; but it should be understood that it is susceptible to improvement in forms, proportions, and details of construction, (and to desirable additions,) especially in its application to guns of large caliber, by the exercise of ordinary mechanical skill and without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Reference is had to the accompanying dra wings, in which the same parts are indicated by similar letters throughout the several views.

Figure 1 represents a horizontal section of the gun and of the mechanism in the closed position. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation with the breech open. Fig. 4 represents a horizontal section of the parts with the breech open. Fig. 5 represents a vertical longitudinal section of the gun and mechanism. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the hinged side of the same. Fig. 7 shows a rear view of the breech-block as detached from the gun. Fig. Srepresents a longitudinal section of the breech-block, showing the cocking-pin therein and a part of the firing-pin with the cam-surface for engagement therewith; and Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the extraction. Fig. 10 represents a modification of the looking device for preventing the rotation of the block. Fig. 11 shows a modification of the sear and lever-pivot.

A represents the gun, provided with teeth a, blank a, and cut away, as at a to allow the breech-block to swing out.

B represents the breech-block, provided with a central recess in its rear face.

0 represents an arm or carrier for the breech-block, hinged to the side of the gun and havinga forwardly-projecting stud or journal J, extending into the recess in the block and having threaded engagement therewith, the threads being of even pitch and direction with those on the exterior of the block, the object of this construction being to afford a rigid and secure support for the block while out of contact with the gun, whereby it may be swung clear of the breech immediately upon its disengagement therefrom; also, to accommodate the longitudinal motion accompanying the rotation of the block and to insure the perfect alinement of the locking-threads on the block with those in the gun when the carrier is swung to the closed position; also, to confine the carrier 0 to a fixed position relatively to the gun until the block is disengaged therefrom, obviating any tendency of cramping between the carrierstud and the interior surface of the block, as from the thrust of the firing-spring against the carrier. A flange B on the block closes all rear apertures in the breech against the entrance of dust, 850., when locked and also reinforces the block in the cut-awayportions thereof.

The breech-block is rotated by means of a toggle-joint, one of the links, D, of which is attached to the breech-block B near its circumference, and the other, L, is pivotally attached to the hinged carrier 0, as shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. As a means of operatin g the toggle-j oint I prefer to extend the link L to form the handle 11 for operating the mechanism. It might also be a wheel with suitable means of rotation in cases where greater power is required.

The link L, which I shall call the leverlink, has a simple pivotal connection with the carrier 0, whereby it is constrained to move in a plane parallel with the bore of the gun. The link D, which may conveniently be called the connecting-link, has at each of its ends a universal joint for connection with the lever-link and breech-block, respectively, to accommodate their motions occurring in different planes. The form of universal joint most preferred by me in this application of the mechanism is a lug pivoted in each end of the connecting-link D, having a cylindrical stem threaded for a portion of its length, that on one end of the connectinglink D being screwed partially into the breechblock and that on the other end similarly attached to the lever-link L, as shown in Fig. 4. The threaded engagement retains the lugs in their sockets while permitting their rotation. Other forms of universal joint might be used to advantagethe well-known balland-socket joint, for example.

It will be seen from an inspection of Figs. 1 to 4 that the first movement of the leverlink L about the pivot will be to rotate the breech-block through the requisite angle to unlock the same, and then the whole system will swing about the pivot WV until the breechblock is clear of the breech, as shown in Fig. 4. The object of this method of effecting the rotation of the block is to avoid the excessive friction and wear incident to the use for this heavy duty of cams, sliding teeth, and other mechanical elements in which contact exists only in a. point or a line and to furnish instead surfaces having a mechanical fit over an appreciable area, as also to avoid refined and expensive work in the manufacture.

The centers of articulation of the togglejoint are so disposed that in the closed position of the mechanism they have moved into one straight line, being the position technically known as dead-center or a little beyond, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thus providing an absolute lock against the accidental rotation of the block by forces applied to it direct arising from the explosion or any other cause. This arrangement also contributes great power toward the rotation of the block when near its closed position, that being its position of greatest resistance.

The block is provided with a boss B which, coming in contact with the carrier O, serves as a stop against the further rotation of the block when it has become disengaged from the breech, the toggle-links limiting its rotation in the other direction.

A recess Kin the rear face of the block, near its periphery, is so situated as to register, when the block is unlocked, with a springcatch G, carried in the hinged carrier 0, two forms of which are shown, one in the principal views and another in Fig. 10. In each the catch is prevented from entering the recess K by its contact with the gun until the carrier has swung partially away from the same, when it is forced in by its spring M and prevents any rotation of the block while out of the breech.

The firing-pin F (see Fig. 5) is provided with a cylindrical shaft or head F, preferably hollow, centrally located in the projection J of the carrier and with a re'arward1y-extending stem or tail F on the same, eccentric and parallel thereto, passing through the carrier and terminating in an eye f for cooking by hand with a hook, said tail having a notch, as at f, for engagement with the sear S. The firing-spring Q has a rear abutment in the carrier and acts forwardly against the central part of the firing-pin, preferably extending into the hollow thereof. At the forward part of the eccentric stem F is an inclined surface F facing forwardly, and in the block is a pin or stud T, which acts against the same during the rotation of the block in unlocking, retracting the firing-pin until the notch f is past the lip of the sear, which thereupon enters the same and holds the pin cocked. The cocking-pin T is arranged so as to be readily renewable. (See Fig. 5.)

The sear S, (see Figs. 2 and 5,) as preferred by me, is a simple cylindrical rod adapted to rotate in a cylindrical chamber in the carrier, provided at its external extremity with a hook S or other suitable appendage for attaching a firing-lanyard and having at its intersection with the tail of the firing-pin a semicircular or other suitable out extending partly around the same, the deepest portion of said out serving as a lip to engage the notch P in the firing-pin and the sides thereof embracing said pin, thus lockin g the sear in place. The searis rotatively actuated by a spring to cause its lip to enter the firing-pin notch. A separate spring may be supplied for this purpose; but I prefer to utilize the firing-spring by having it act against the notch s in the sear, as shown in Fig. 5. One means of employing a separate spring S is shown in Fig. 11, which also exhibits a modification of the position of the scar and of the form of pivot for the leverlink.

Vent-holes may be provided in the block, as indicated at V, Fig. 5, for the escape of gases which may reach the interior of the block in case of a possible b1ow-backfrom defective ammunition and also to prevent cushioning of the firing-pin.

The cartridge-case extractor E, Figs. 1, 4, and 6, is situated in a slot X through the breech-wall, said slot having a curved front surface Y, the center of curvature being approximately in a line extending rearward from the inner extremity E of the extractor. The latter is adapted to roll on this curved surface, its front surface having a curve whose radius is about one-half that of the curved wall of the slot and is caused to engage this curved wall by a cam-surface O on the carrier. Theprinciple embodied is a geometrical property of the hypocycloid curve or curve generated by any point on the periphery of a circle which rolls within the periphery of a larger circle. As is wellknown, in the special case in which the radius of the rolling circle is one-half that of the one on which it rolls the hypocycloid takes the form of a straight line, passing through the center of the larger circle, as illustrated in the diagram Fig. 11, in which I) represents the fixed circle and a the one which rolls therein, the successive positions of the point a being indicated at a a a dzc, the corresponding positions of the rolling circle being shown in dotted lines.

The extractor is so proportioned that the claw or nib E on its inner end, which engages the head of the cartridge-case, is about in line with the curved front surface, and said claw is thus constrained to move in a straight line when the extractor rolls without sliding. Sliding is prevented to any desirable extent and the extractor is retained in the slot X by a lug or lugs E E on the opposite sliding surfaces of the extractor near the outer extremity of its curved front face, freely moving in grooves X in the, gun, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Said grooves should preferably be straight and lyingradially to the center of curvature of the front of the slot in the gun, for thelugs E E being nearly in the circumference of the rolling circle they practically have the property of any point therein of moving in a line through said center. The extractor having rolled to the end of the curved surface in the gun may, if further movement is desired, pivot about its lugs in the guide-grooves in the position shown in Fig. 4, the claw E then moving slightly out of a straight line, but only due to the difference in direction of the arc subtending asmall angle and the tangent thereto. On account of its rolling action, beginning near the cartridge-head and acting against a succession of fulcrums more and more remote therefrom, this extractor has great power to loosen the cartridge-case and a constant increment of velocity is given thereto, thus economizing the strain on the extractor and enabling it with a minimum amount of such strain and without shock to eject the cartridge case with a low initial and a high final velocity. The extractor is provided near its outer end with a forwardly-projecting arm E", lying within the slot in the gun or in cheeks Z which arm is adapted to close the space between the rolling surfaces when the mechanism is in the closed position. This is for the purpose of excluding dirt, &c., and also serves to steady and guide the extractor.

The guide-grooves X in the slot X are extended at their rear, as at ac, Figs. 1 and 4:, to run out of said slot, whereby the extractor may be removed in the absence of the hinged carrier and its bolt W. When the latter are in position, however, the extractor-lugs are confined thereby to the straight or guiding part of said grooves, and the extractor cannot leave its place in the slot.

The checks Z embracing the arm E of the extractor, also serve as stops to the carrier in its open position. They may obviously be formed of metal solid with the gun, as may also the hinge-lugs Z and the hinge-plate Z may be dispensed with, especially in large guns, they being differently proportioned. The object is to here show the mechanism as it might be applied to a small gun already built.

It will also be obvious that various modifications of the several parts and of the Whole might be made by any one skilled in the art, which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

It has been my special aim in this invention to avoid great sliding movements between the parts, especially the breech-block and parts giving motion thereto,as a condition unsuited to the exigencies of such a service, because of the possible defective lubrication, presence of grit and other well-known hindrances to easy manipulation, and to retain as far as possible the integrity of the breech-walls, breech-block, and threads on each, especially retaining adequate circumferential strength in the breech-walls to resist the radial thrust of the threads on the block, also to close all apertures against the entrance of foreign matter, and in general to improve the parts and furnish adequate mechanical means for performing the various functions of a breech mechanism.

I do not claim the'following issue, which I am informed is the subject-matter of an interference now pending in the Patent Office: The combinatiomwith a breech-loading gun, of the ejector-lever having a long leveragefulcrum for starting the shell, the successively-operating shorter leverage-fulcrum for accelerating the ejectment, and means for operating said levers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination of abreech-loading gun having a suitably-shaped slot cut through its wall with a cartridge-case extractor mounted in said slot and adapted to make continuous rolling contact with the front of said slot, whereby a continuously-shifting pivot is secured and means for pressing forward against the outer portion of said extractor, substantially as described.

2. The combination of abreech-loading gun having a slot cut through its wall with a cartridge-case extractor mounted in said slot and adapted to make rolling contact with the front of said slot, and means for pressing forward against the outer portion of said extractor, the front of said slot being of such shape that the fulcrum-point of the extractor moves continuously outward and rearward during the ICC) IIO

operation of extracting the cartridge-case, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a breech-loading gun, provided with a slot cut through the walls of the gun the front face of said slot being curved, of a cartridge case extractor mounted in said slot and adapted to make continuous rolling contact with said curved face, and means for pressing forward against the outer portion of said extractor, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a breech-loading gun, provided with a slot cut through the walls of the gun the front face of said slot being curved, of a cartridge-case extractor having a curved front face mounted in said slot and adapted to make continuous rolling contact with the curved face of said slot, and means operated by the breech mechanism for pressing forward against the outer portion of said extractor, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a breech-loading gun, provided with a slot through the walls thereof the front face of said slot being curved, of a cartridge-case extractor having a curved front face of greater curvature than the curved face of the slot, and having a continuously-rolling shifting fulcrum, and means for pressing against said extractor and causing the same to roll along said curved wall, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a breech-loading gun, provided with a slot through the walls thereof the front face of said slot being curved, approximately in the form of a segment of a cylinder, of a cartridge-case extractor having a cylindrical curved front face with a radius of curvature approximately one-half that of the curved face of the slot, the said extractor rolling on said face, and means for pressing against said extractor and causing the same to roll along said curved wall, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a breech-loading gun provided with a slot through the breechwall having a cylindrical front surface, of a cartridge-case extractor lying in said slot and. having a cylindrical front surface whose radius is practically one-half that of the surface in the slot, and rolling on such surface, the cartridge-engaging nib of the extractor lying in the extension of its curved surface, and the center of curvature of the front surface of the slot being directly in rear of said nib, whereby the same, during the rolling of such curved surfaces, describes that special form of a hypocycloid curve which is a straight line, and means for operating said extractor, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a breech-loading gun, provided with a slot through the walls thereof the front face of said slot being curved, with a substantially rectilinear groove in the sides of said slot approximately radial to the curved face aforesaid, of an extractor having a curved front face of greater curvature than the curved face of the slot rolling on said face with a stud projecting into said groove, and means for actuating said extractor, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a breech-loading gun, provided with a slot through the walls thereof the front face of said slot being curved with substantially rectilinear grooves in the side faces of said slot approximately radial to the curved face aforesaid, of an extractor having a curved front face of greater curvature than the curved face of the slot and adapted to roll on said face with studs projecting into said grooves, and means operated by the breech mechanism for actuating said extractor, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a breech-loading gun, provided with a slot cut through the walls of the gun and having a front curved face, of a cartridge-case extractor mounted in said slot and adapted to make continuous rolling contact with said curved face whereby a continuously-shifting pivot is secured, and being provided with an outwardly-projecting arm, and means forpressing forward against the said arm, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a breech-loading gun, provided with a slot cut through the walls of the gun and having a front curved face, of a cartridge-case extractor mounted in said slot and adapted to make continuous rolling contact with said curved face, whereby a continuously-shifting pivot is secured, and being provided with an outwardly-projecting arm controlled by the breech mechanism for pressing forward against the outer portion of said extractor, substantially as described.

12. The combination with a breech-loading gun, provided with a slot through the walls thereof and provided with a curved front face, of a cartridge-case extractor havinga curved front face of greater curvature than the curved face of the slot and rolling continuously thereon, and being also provided with an outwardly-projecting arm, and means for pressing against said arm and causing the extractor to roll continuously along said curved face, substantially as described.

13. The combination with a breech-loadin g gun, provided with a slot through the Walls thereof having a curved face, approximately in the form of a segment of a cylinder, of a cartridge-case extractor having a cylindrical curved front face with a radius of curvature approximately one-half that of the curved face of the slot, the said extractor being adapted to roll on said wall, the said extractor being also provided with an outwardly-projecting arm, and means for pressing against said arm and causing the extractor to roll along the curved face of the slot, substantially as described.

14. The combination with a breech-loading gun, provided with a slot through the walls thereof having a curved front face, with substantially rectilinear grooves in the sides of said slots approximately radial to the curved face aforesaid, of an extractor having an outwardly-projectin g arm and a curved front face of greater curvature than the curved wall of the slot and rolling on said face with studs projecting into said grooves, and means operated by the breech mechanism for pressing against said arm and causing the extractor to roll along said curved face, substantially as described.

15. The combination with a breech-loading gun, having a slot cut through the walls thereof with a guide-groove in said slot opening outward, of a removable cartridge-case extractor mounted in said slot and provided with a lug engaging in said guide-groove, and removable means for normally blocking the opening into said guide-groove, Substantially as described.

16. The combination with a breech-loading gun, having a slot cut through the walls thereof with extractor-retaining sides, and guidegrooves in said sides opening outward, of a removable cartridge-case extractor mounted in said slot and provided with lugs engaging in said guide-grooves, and removable means for normally blocking the openings into said guide-grooves, substantially as described.

17. The combination with a breech-loading gun, havinga slot cut through the walls thereof with parallel sides, and guide-grooves in said sides opening outward, of a removable cartridge-case extractor mounted in said slot and provided with lugs engagin gin said guidegrooves, and a removable part of the breechclosing mechanism adapted to normally block the openings into said guide-grooves, substantially as described.

18. In agun of the type described, the combination of the block, the hinged carrier extending into same and having a central cylindrical chamber and a recess eccentric thereto, of a firing-pin fitting both such central chamber and eccentric recess, and held and guided by the same, substantially as described.

10. In a slotted-screw system breech mechanism, the combination of a carrier extending into the block, of a firing-pin with a cam-surface mounted therein, and a removable pin or stud in the block adapted to move against such cam-surface during rotation of the block and to cock the firing-pin, substantially as described.

20. In a slotted-screw system breech mechanism, the combination of a carrier extending into the block, of a firing-pin with a cam-surface mounted in said carrier and also an arm projecting rearwardly through the carrier for cooking by hand, and a removable pin or stud in the block adapted to move against such cam-surface during rotation of the block and to cook the firing-pin, substantially as described.

21. The combination with abreech mechanism having a firing-pin and a sear lying across and rotatively engaging the same, of means for securing such sear in the mechanism consisting of checks thereon embracing such firing-pin, substantially as described.

22. In a breech-loading gun, the combination with a firing-pin provided with a notch therein of a rod lying across the firing-pin, and adapted to rotate on its axis, a lip on said rod to engage the notch in the firing-pin, to. hold the same cooked, and a spring tending gage the notch in the firing-pin, substantially as and for the purposes described.

23. In a breech-loading gun, the combination with a firing-pin provided with a notch therein of a rod lying across the firing-pin, and adapted to rotate on its axis, a lip on said rod to engage the notch in the firing-pin to hold the same cocked, and a spring tending to rotate said rod to cause its lip to engage the notch in the firing-pin, with means operated by hand for turning said rod and releasing the firing-pin, substantially as and for the purposes described.

24C. The combination with a gun having a slot through the walls thereof for the cartridgecase extractor, a dust-guard for said slot and for the extractor consisting of a bent arm integral with said extractor and normally adapted to close the outer orifice of said slot, substantially as described.

25. In a slotted-screw system breech mechanism, the combination with the breech-block and a hinged carrier therefor, of means for rotating and withdrawing the block, consisting of a toggle-joint composed of swinging links, one of said links being extended and provided with a handle at one end and pivotally connected to the hinged carrier at the other end, and the other link being connected to the first link about midway between the handle and pivotal point, and also connected directly to the breech-block at a point eccentric to the axis thereof, the members of the toggle-lever being so placed as to operate substantially in the same plane, substantially as described.

26. In a slotted-screw system breech mechanism, the combination with a breech-block, of a toggle-joint having one of its members composed of a single link with two screwthreaded pins swiveled thereto, the said pins being screwed to said breech-block eccentric to the axis thereof, and to the front of the second member, and the other memberbeing pivotally to rotate the said rod to cause its lip to enconnected to the gun, or its attachments, the I said toggle-joint being at or near the deadcenter position when the breech is closed,

whereby the said breech-block may be locked tating, and withdrawing the block, consisting of a toggle-joint, one of the links of which is in the form of a hand-lever attached to the In testimony whereof I affix my signature hinged carrier, and the other composed of a in presence of two witnesses. single link with two screw-threaded pins T T 1 swiveled thereto, the said pins being screwed VERNOL TASIXILR' 5 into the breech-block at a point away from Witnesses:

its axis and into the hand-lever, respectively, J. "STEPHEN GIUsTA, substantially as described. JOHN H. HOLT. 

